ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — While most kids aren't seeing major symptoms if they get COVID-19, doctors are starting to see real problems with the effects of quarantine.
These health issues really have nothing to do with the virus itself. Almost 4 months ago, our routines were changed dramatically. For kids, no more school, tons more time on the computer, and no activities with friends.
Dr. Raquel Hernandez is the director of the Healthy Weight Clinic at Johns Hopkins All children's Hospital and she says parents are bringing their kids in with three big concerns.
- Irregular Sleep- staying up late at night and sleeping into the early afternoon.
- Mindless Eating- snacking regardless of whether they are hungry.
- Too Much Screen Time: playing video games, binge-watching tv, and just searching the internet.
At first, it was ok because kids were doing school work and parents working from home needed distractions for them. But Dr. Hernandez says now it's time to reel that in.
"There really still should be a limit," Dr. Hernandez said. "In some ways there should be conversations about it because many parents aren't aware that they can go way beyond that limit and that then affects feeding, eating patterns as well as sleep patterns so all of those things are really interconnected."
So what can you do? Overall, Dr. Hernandez suggests getting the family into a better routine.
- Set bedtimes for weekdays/weekends
- Make better foods available -- whatever is eye level in the fridge and pantry should be healthy snacks.
- Get active- go outside and breathe in some fresh air. This doesn't have to be vigorous exercise, just getting out to take a walk can really make a difference.
Dr. Hernandez says it's important to get a handle on these issues while children are young because it can lead to long term habits and health issues. The earlier you break these habits, the better. And honestly, it's good for your own health because adults are having similar issues.